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Meet the Locals

The exciting and educational series, Meet The Locals, is heading to the classroom. TVNZ6 is proud to be funding these teaching tools that take some of our natural heritage into the classroom, to enrich the minds of New Zealand’s children.

The set of DVDs and PDF resources are divided into 16 episodes across 4 subjects and suit the curriculum of Years 7 – 9, but can also suit younger levels too.

The topics included in the DVDs are NZ Biology – Reptiles and Insects; NZ Biology – Birds; NZ History; and NZ Geography. Each episode is under 5 minutes in length, so can easily slot into any lesson plan.

Series host, Nic Vallance, and The Department of Conservation are thrilled to see Meet The Locals distributed in schools.

“It’s so exciting to see Meet The Locals going to schools to inspire our kids about New Zealand’s amazing natural heritage,” says Vallance.

Many of the Meet The Locals episodes feature New Zealand children doing their bit to protect our native wildlife which is an inspiring element to consider.

“It’s great to know that Kiwi kids are already tuned into nature, and I hope these episodes help motivate them further,” says Vallance.

Even John Key is on board. He introduces the series with why he sees this venture vital in shaping the New Zealand of tomorrow.

Teachers are asked to simply register their details at www.tvnz.co.nz/meetthelocals by clicking on the ‘Meet The Locals Education Resource’ tile.

Registrations close on Friday 30 October at 5pm, with DVDs to be sent out in mid November. The accompanying PDF resources will be available for download from the TVNZ6 site from mid November.

Prepare to be impressed by the number of New Zealanders who do their bit and get stuck into conservation projects, in TVNZ 6’s Meet the Locals special, produced to mark Conservation Week.

Join Nic Vallance and the rest of the Meet The Locals team as they showcase three incredible natural heritage stories which cover the length of the country.

2009 marked a significant milestone for the world’s largest parrot, and one of New Zealand’s iconic and most endangered species. For the first time ever, the kakapo, perched on the edge of extinction, is experiencing some positive growth, which astounds host Vallance: “The 33 chicks that have survived this season, have increased the kakapo numbers to 124 and will help turn the tide for kakapo survival into the future.”

This is largely thanks to the work of the volunteers on the tiny island of Whenua Hou who are profiled in this special. Their dedication is remarkable as they camp out next to kakapo every night, and watch over the chicks from the safety of a nearby net through a high-tech baby monitor.

“Being part of the team returning some of the captive-reared kakapo chicks to the wild on Whenua Hou was an absolute privilege,” says Vallance.

The Kaimanawas wild horses have been part of the Tongariro landscape for over one hundred years and have been the centre of great controversy. The Meet The Locals team take to the skies, fly in tandem with the musterers, and get a bird’s eye view of what has become a significant New Zealand conservation event.

Vallance was thrilled that they got to meet the new owners of these orphaned horses, and watch them as they begin to forge the bonds of a life-long relationship with them: “They are a bit of a conservation conundrum – big beautiful pests, but the fact that most of them found homes this year was heartening,” explains Vallance. “The day was amazing, and it ran like clockwork thanks to the many people involved in mustering, vet checking and the welfare of the animals.”

The final component in the mix is a school camp of a different kind on the Tiritiri Matangi Island in the Gulf. Local children from Mangere Central Primary get the chance to spend the night on this special island where they learn to radio-track kiwis, listen for the call of the kokako, find giant weta, top up the hihi sugar water feeders, learn the names of the native trees, and most importantly, absorb our natural heritage.

Bringing these unique wildlife stories to life on television is a great passion of Vallance’s and an adventure she has relished over the last two years: “Filming Meet the Locals, and getting to visit New Zealand’s wildest places, wildlife and people has been the experience of a lifetime and the thing I’m most proud of being involved with.”

If you have missed this episode, check your guides for extra opportunities to view. This special episode of Meet The Locals will be available free online after the show has aired on TVNZ 6. Go to tvnz.co.nz/meetthelocals and click the ‘watch episode’ button.

Kiwi children will be able to learn more about their local wildlife and wild places during Meet the Locals Conservation Week celebrations at Auckland Zoo on September 7 and Wellington Zoo on September 14.

The events are the brainchild of the Department of Conservation (DOC) and TVNZ 6 Family, and an extension of the partnership they formed with the Meet the Locals television series.

The series, currently screening on TVNZ 6 Family, introduces viewers to New Zealand’s native species – local plants, local animals and the local humans who love to look after them.

The Department of Conservation’s General Manager of Marketing and Communications, Sue Paterson, said Meet the Locals had proved to be a fantastic way of engaging Kiwis in the importance of conservation, and their partnership with TVNZ 6 is helping DOC to reach a wider audience.

“Meet the Locals Conservation Week is another great opportunity to work with TVNZ 6 to extend the Meet the Locals message into the wider community. At the zoo events children and their parents will be able to learn more about their environment and its inhabitants and see species like kiwi and tuatara up close.”

TVNZ General Manager Digital Services, Eric Kearley said partnerships such as the one TVNZ 6 enjoys with DOC were important in ensuring TVNZ’s digital channels delivered local and relevant content.

“Our relationship with DOC has produced some fantastic local content for TVNZ 6 and helped spread the conservation message via television to young New Zealanders in particular. Celebrating Meet the Locals Conservation Week through the events at Auckland and Wellington Zoos is taking our partnership to another level by bringing the TV show to life.”

Mr Kearley said TVNZ 6’s partnership with DOC was possible because the two organisations measured success in terms of public value.

“We’re hoping to develop more relationships with other like-minded organisations that share the same public value ethos,” he said.

Some of New Zealand’s shyest, rarest and strangest inhabitants step into the limelight in Meet the Locals, a new series of bite-size documentaries showcasing our natural world, daily on TVNZ Family on TVNZ 6.

Commissioned by TVNZ in partnership with the Department of Conservation, Meet the Locals is an exciting series of four-minute shows featuring everything from electric fishing for our enigmatic native fish, to getting up close and personal with New Zealand’s mysterious short-tailed bats.
“Meet the Locals is designed to give New Zealand audiences a taste of the surprising and inspiring stories of their natural heritage and TVNZ is proud to present this special series for viewers of TVNZ 6, the first of our new digital channels,” says TVNZ Digital Commissioner Philippa Mossman.

“It is filmed throughout New Zealand, and showcases every aspect of conservation in New Zealand, including native wildlife, pest control, recreation opportunities and our cultural and historic heritage.”

Hosted by DOC’s Nicola Vallance, who regularly features on TV ONE’s Good Morning, Meet the Locals will showcase kiwi natives, local plants, local animals and the humans who love to look after them. The series features DOC staff, businesses, communities and individuals who are all involved in looking after our wildlife and wild places.

“This initiative is tremendous for DOC – allowing us to reach new audiences and grow awareness of just how easy it is to get into the wilds of New Zealand and see what millions of people travel here every year to experience,” says DOC Director-General, Al Morrison.

Travelling extensively throughout New Zealand, and filmed over four seasons, Meet the Locals will introduce viewers to New Zealand’s unique wild places, historic sites and native species.

Some of New Zealand’s shyest, rarest and strangest inhabitants step into the limelight in Meet the Locals, a new series of bite-size documentaries showcasing our natural world, daily on TVNZ Family on TVNZ 6.

Commissioned by TVNZ in partnership with the Department of Conservation, Meet the Locals is an exciting series of four-minute shows featuring everything from electric fishing for our enigmatic native fish, to getting up close and personal with New Zealand’s mysterious short-tailed bats.
“Meet the Locals is designed to give New Zealand audiences a taste of the surprising and inspiring stories of their natural heritage and TVNZ is proud to present this special series for viewers of TVNZ 6, the first of our new digital channels,” says TVNZ Digital Commissioner Philippa Mossman.

“It is filmed throughout New Zealand, and showcases every aspect of conservation in New Zealand, including native wildlife, pest control, recreation opportunities and our cultural and historic heritage.”

Hosted by DOC’s Nicola Vallance, who regularly features on TV ONE’s Good Morning, Meet the Locals will showcase kiwi natives, local plants, local animals and the humans who love to look after them. The series features DOC staff, businesses, communities and individuals who are all involved in looking after our wildlife and wild places.

“This initiative is tremendous for DOC – allowing us to reach new audiences and grow awareness of just how easy it is to get into the wilds of New Zealand and see what millions of people travel here every year to experience,” says DOC Director-General, Al Morrison.

Travelling extensively throughout New Zealand, and filmed over four seasons, Meet the Locals will introduce viewers to New Zealand’s unique wild places, historic sites and native species.

Some of the country’s shyest, weirdest and rarest inhabitants have stepped into the limelight on TVNZ’s new digital channel, TVNZ 6.

Meet the Locals is a new series of four-minute shows featuring everything from electric fishing for our enigmatic native fish, to getting up close and personal with New Zealand’s mysterious short-tailed bats.

The series has emerged from a partnership between the Department of Conservation and TVNZ 6. Meet the Locals will be screened in the ‘Family’ time slot on TVNZ 6 (4pm-8.30pm) and will also be available on the DOC website and beyond.

“This initiative is tremendous for DOC – allowing us to reach new audiences and grow awareness of just how easy it is to get into the wilds of New Zealand and see what millions of people travel here every year to experience,” said Director-General, Al Morrison.

“Meet the Locals is designed to give New Zealand audiences a taste of the surprising and inspiring stories of their natural heritage and TVNZ is proud to present this special series for viewers of TVNZ 6, the first of our new digital channels”, said TVNZ Commissioner Philippa Mossman.

“It is filmed throughout New Zealand, and showcases every aspect of conservation in New Zealand, including native wildlife, pest control, recreation opportunities and our cultural and historic heritage.”
Hosted by DOC’s Nicola Vallance, who regularly features on TV One’s Good Morning, Meet the Locals will showcase “kiwi natives, local plants, local animals and the humans who love to look after them”. The series features DOC staff, businesses, communities and individuals who are all involved in looking after our wildlife and wild places.

Some of the stories that will be available from Sunday 30th on TVNZ 6 and the DOC website include;